Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-10-06
RICH REDSKIS.
An Indian Who is:DuiIdIns..a Railroad
Out West.

A recent letter from Newton, Mo-, 30 the
Kansas City Journal says Had any onf
predicted II quarter of a century ago that an
American Indian would bnild Railroad he
would have been considered a III object for
a lumatic asylum. Bat today the people OF
Newton County, Mo-, a county adjoining
the Indian Territory have Witnessed scene
such as man never before beheld. Mat.
thias Splitlog, a half Cayuga and half wy
andotte Indian, born In an Indian village
in Canada, to-day at Geosho drove the first
spike for the Kansas City, Fort Smith and
Southern Railway. This division OF the
Kansas City, Fort Smith and Southern rail
way was chartered the Sth Of last March
under the laws of the State of Missouri,
with n capital Of 81, 900 900, and now there
are about 35 miles graded and ready for the
iron.
Mr.. Splitlog has furnish the ''sinews OF
war; out of his own ample fortune and Is
backed by heavy capitalists TO complete the
road, and before the 1st of next January he
will have the cars running from Joplin, In
Jasper County, TO the town Of Splitlog, In
Mcdonald County, n distance Of about
thirfy-fve miles, and Matthias Splitlog, the
millionaire Indian, who Is probably the
richest man of his race, will henccforth be
known all over the country :: 5 the only In-
dian railroad man (at least the first) In the
United States or I'm the whole world.
The occasion Of driving the first spike on
the main line of this new road was matter
of more than ordinary interest 10 the people
of Neosho At 3.l5 there were about one
thousand people assembled at the point
where the main line crosses the 'Frisco
track After music by the Indian band
from the Territory, and selections by the
Neosho band, Mr.. Charles w. Smith of the
construction company, held the spike in
position, and in four hold strikes Mr.. Split
log drove the spike home in carefully Sc
lrctrd whiteoak tie. Cheer after cheer was
given for the road, Matthias Splitlog, Ncosho
and the enterprise, after which mary came
to the track 20 look at the spike. Mr.. Split
log welded the sledee with familiarity
and precision which indicated that he had
used his slelge with good effect when he
built his steamboat on the Detroit river.
Mr.. Splitlog WAS born in the year lSl3,
and while a boy MAS apprenticei TO car
penter and millwright, and, although his
wages were only 81 per month, young Split
log thought he was getting rich. He i'm
bibed love for machinery and inventions
| which has made his life useful and event
full one In the year 1912 young Splitlog
Joined the wyandottes, who were the last
of the Indian tribes then in Ohio. In lS4S
Splitlog came west with some of the tribe,
| and found, after his arrival at Westport
landing (now Kansas City,, that he only
had 80 cents in his pocket. He induced an
old Indian TO go his security for the price OF
| an axe. With this axe he cut cordwood
for the steamboats, at 25 cents per cord, and
after paying for the axe, which cost o, ht
soon saved enough TO buy a pony.
| Abolt the year 1S64 he married EliZaBar'
nett, grandniece of Harry Jacques, the
old Indian who went his security for the
price of the axe. Her father was head
| chief OF the Wyandottes when ne dlen III
1893. Her mother was part Wyandotte
and part Seneca Indian. They have fam
lily of fve children-four sons and one
daughter. Splitlog was never idle, and In
most of his undertakings he was successful
At an early day he built mill near Wyan'
dotte, which was first run by horse power
and afterwards by steam. Splitlog's mill
was a success and was long an old land
mark near Wyandotte. He began to spec
ulate in real estate, and, although he can
neither read not write, he has been one of the
most successful spectators in the neighbor'
il,,od of Kansas City, and is to-day worth
over 81, 900, 900. Many interesting incidents
could be written in connection with his use
fnl life